The Expert Review Library
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Bryan - Rocky Patel Vintage '9209/01/2009
Toro (6.5"x50) Construction was top notch as the cigar burned perfectly even from start to finish. The ash still refused to fall after two inches and the aroma offered many flavorful notes of cedar. Much spice is noticeable out the nose but this size still remains smooth with a mellow yet flavorful finish.
Torpedo (6.1"x52) Excellent blend with perfect balance. The cigar switched between medium earthy flavors and full spicy sensations after the first inch and slow continued to build in flavor without becoming overwhelming strong. Smooth.
Mini Belicoso (5"x52) Unique and enjoyable. Offered some sweeter flavors up front with a pleasant underlying toasty nuance of earth. Rich and enjoyable.
Sixty (6.0"x60) Very rich and full-flavored. This size expells a ton of smoke while burning cool and even from head to foot. Expect a 90 minute, full-bodied experience with a long finish.
Robusto (5.5"x50) Produced thick, creamy smoke with earth and cedar nuances. Burned fast and slightly uneven but corrected itself immediately. Great complexities with a mellow yet flavorful finish.
Churchill (7.0"x48) Nice slow burn with an effortless draw. Produced light spice at the foot which slowly changed throughout the cigar for a complex experience. Allow yourself at least 70 minutes to enjoy this one.
Petit Corona (4.5"x44) Burned hot. Incredibly robust with spice and pepper throughout. Maintained a tight draw from start to finish and the strength only increased from head to foot. -
Dave - Oliva Connecticut Reserve07/06/2009
Torpedo (6.5"x52) Smooth with cedar and earth throughout. Draw was a bit tight at first but drastically opened up within less than half an inch. The aroma is excellent and non-offensive as the strength slowly builds from start to finish but still maintains a smooth, refined flavor.
Lonsdale (6.5"x44) The skinny ring gauge creates a well-rounded but more robust character allowing this medium Connecticut to feel a bit more full in body. The aftertaste is potent, leaving crisp cedar like flavors on the palate with pronounced notes of pepper.
Robusto (5.0"x50) No soft spots were present and the blend burned even and cool. Produced a ton of thick smoke but was far less complex than expected. Consistent flavor from start to finish with little left for the imagination.
Toro (6.0"x50) Burned evenly from start to finish and offered a creamy character with some light spice. Unfortunately the flavors are not as pronounced in comparison to the torpedo or lonsdale.
Churchill (7.0"x50) Size was not balanced as it burned hot and tickled the back of the throat. The wrapper burned down the right side before attempting to correct itself unsuccessfully. If you’re looking for a Connecticut wrapped stick with some hearty undertones and a robust finish then this is your size. -
Sean G - Man O' War Ruination06/23/2009
Robusto No. 1 (5.5" x 54) There is no contest, this size fully portrays all Ruination has to offer. Intense spice overwhelms the palate from the first puff as oaky flavors and earthy mask its hearty, spicy undertones. The thick gauge allows for a smooth, even burn as the blend produces copious amounts of thick smoke. The aroma has notes of pepper with a touch of cedar. Phenomenal.
Belicoso (5.7" x 56) Perfectly constructed and sporting a shiny, oily sheen, this belicoso is slightly less robust with a smoother character than the other sizes. This size is perfect for the medium to full enthusiast looking to try this full-bodied blend but afraid of being overwhelmed with tons of spicy flavors. With great balance, we easily recommend this size to the most discerning aficionados.
Robusto No. 2 (6" x 60) In one word, powerful. Strength overwhelms the complexities found in the thicker sizes as the cigar continues to gain in strength from foot to head, creating an incredibly robust finish. The aftertaste will remain on the palate for a while after the cigar is extinguished. If you prefer a full-bodied firecracker with some complexity but consistently blasts the palate with black pepper, this is your cigar.
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Bryan - Carlos Torano Dominico06/02/2009
Toro (6" x 50) Burned evenly from start to finish with an effortless draw that burned cool and slow. Many earthy nuances were abundant as the flavor and strength slowly build as the cigar burns.
Torpedo (6.2" x 52) The head needed to be cut a bit further than anticipated but the blend really opened up, releasing a slew of complexities ranging from pepper and toast to espresso with a spicy nuance in the finish. Rich, full-flavored and easily medium-bodied, this size is a winner.
Churchill (7" x 48) Slightly less complex than the torpedo, the 7 x 48 frame kept a slow and steady burn, although some heat was noticeable to the touch. The complexities slowly changed throughout as the flavor mellowed towards the finish and the strength continued to increase.
Robusto (5" x 50) No construction problems existed but the smooth, toasty finish wasn't present in comparison to the torpedo and toro. The blend was very robust from the start and kept building towards the end. The finish was not balanced. -
Bryan - Man O' War Ruination05/18/2009
Belicoso (5.7" x 56) Full-bodied with black pepper and spice noticeable upon first light. Draw was perfect, although the cut to the head of the cigar had to be deeper than most other figurados. The complexities of cedar, earth, and pepper were enjoyable and interesting throughout as most of the strength is felt in the gut, not the head. Excellent!
Robusto No. 1 (5.5" x 54) This size easily lasted 75 minutes and produced a longer finish with a more robust character than the belicoso. The smoke is thick and heavy with an excellent, toasty aroma. Complex with abundant spice throughout and a note of espresso, this is a size for the true, full-bodied enthusiast.
Robusto No. 2 (6" x 60) The huge gauge allows for an incredibly easy draw that emits a ton of smoke and tasty complexities. The different nuances available with this size are easy to taste, from its leathery qualities to its spicy-sweet characteristics, but it did burn slightly uneven. The finish was toasty but not as smooth as the two other sizes. -
Sean G - Rocky Patel Royal Vintage05/04/2009
Robusto (5.5" x 50) A perfect burn and draw confirmed this was a Rocky made blend as its rich, robust notes of spice build from start to finish. Maintains an earthy finish with a cool smoke and slightly sweet nuance in the aftertaste.
Torpedo (6.1" x 52) Construction was flawless as the complex flavors between earth and pepper fought for dominance. The smoke emitted could have been a bit thicker and the sweet nuances found in the Robusto size were not as prominent, although many hints of espresso were recongizable.
Toro (6.5" x 50) Offered an easy draw and cool burn but was relatively one dimensional in terms of flavor. Notes of white pepper easily masked the earthy characteristics and the strength continued to build through the last inch. Finish was very long.
Churchill (7.1" x 48) Initial light tasted dirty and the draw was tight. However, it opened up after an inch and delivered an intense wave of pepper to the palate. The smoke had a cedary aroma but the tasty earthy characteristics found in the other sizes seemed to be lacking as pepper overwhelmed the senses. -
Sean G - Nica Libre04/06/2009
Imperial (6.0"x54) Burned slow and even but still maintained a great draw. Earthy nuances were abundant with a light sweet character. Easily will last 70 minutes. Strength increased towards the head.
Torpedo (6.0"x52) Complexities between coffee and cocoa exist throughout with a unique earthy note that remained on the palate once extinguished. Incredibly smooth.
Exclusivo (5.5"x50) Robust at first before opening up into a pleasant medium body. Featured a rich character and perfect to enjoy for about 40 minutes after dinner.
Diplomatico (7.0"x50) Burned slow but with a tight draw. Spice was easily noticable from start to finish as the character developed and became stronger inch by inch. Save some time to enjoy this one.
Principe (4.5"x46) A great 30 minute cigar. Incredibly potent with a rich, chocolately character. Lost points for burning too hot and slightly uneven -
Dave - ACID Opulence 304/02/2009
Torpedo (6" x 54) The torpedo really emphasized all of the characteristics of the infused tobaccos. Complex with notes of cocoa, coffee, and sweet fruity nuances, this was a rare treat. The aroma is amazingly inviting.
Robusto (5" x 54) The draw was perfect as no "double puffing" was needed. Although a bit less complex than the torpedo, many thick notes of espresso overwhelmed the senses. Seemed a bit stronger.
Toro (6" x 54) Burned unevenly and offered a tighter draw. The flavors at the start were similar to the other sizes but this blend drastically changed half-way through. The finish was potent and strong, with some incredibly light hints of pepper noticeable in the back of the palate. The aroma, again, was excellent. -
Sean G - Gurkha Park Avenue02/16/2009
Torpedo (6.2" x 52) An enormous amount of smoke was created with the first couple of puffs, showcasing an easy draw and perfect burn. Cedar overwhelmed my nostrils, which was an excellent experience as the blend's complexities slowly build as the cigar burns. Notes of nuts are easily noticeable in the aftertaste, as the cigar burns cool. Although incredibly smooth and mellow, this stick emits a ton of flavor with a hint of pepper in the finish.
Churchill (7" x 48) With a tight draw, this size lacked the smooth characteristics of the Torpedo's initial light. There was a difference in taste and a stronger finish, but still creates a great cedar-like aroma. The nutty nuances were masked by an earthy character creating a stronger flavor on the palate. Slightly more robust, this size is great for the medium to full-bodied enthusiast searching for a smooth, everyday Gurkha. -
Dave - Don Pepin Garcia Series JJ12/29/2008
Belicoso (5.7" x 52) Great burn and offered a perfect draw. Many competing nuances of earth and pepper were noticeable throughout. Slight hint of sugar existed in the finish.
Selectos (5" x 50) Robust flavors were present from the start but the cigar seemed a bit mellow for the blend. Burned slightly uneven but it corrected itself quickly. Noticed more earthy sensations over pepper.
Salomon (7.2" x 57) A complex blend that became incredibly robust after 2 inches. Strong and hearty with many spicy undertones and emitted a ton of smoke.
Sublime (6" x 54) Offered a variety of complexities from start to finish and changed in flavor throughout. The draw was easy and the cigar burned cool. Smoke emitted a cedar-like aroma with a peaty characteristic. The finish was strong and really robust.
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